Here is a monthly bidding question for those who bid reserve. First of all the parameters are a max of 3 groups of X days, min 4 days to max 99 days on call. Now the question.

If I have 2 days on call a the end of the month, say 28 Feb thru 01 Mar, can I bid 02-03 Mar as X days or do they automatically have to be on call days because of the min 4 days on call parameter? Thx

Denny

I doubt our sick usage is double of others.

I could look at another carrier I worked at. Almost every pilot called in sick every other month because they were disgruntled and the company purposely made horrible trip pairings.

Further, I would bet UAL and/or AAG have more sick calls than DAL. Disgruntled employees make a difference. And there are some real sour folks over there....

However, it is managements problem DAL has a use it or lose it policy. I wasn't too keen on the idea at first (I came from accrue and by out). But I guess now, its like free vacation.

I am not positive, but if I remember from a PBS guru, those two days will be "rsv" days to meet the 4 day min parameter.

But don't take my word for it, verify that. It has been months since I asked that same question.

http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/357...dog-hump-o.gif

Not sure why, but I anticipate C2015 negotiations to go something like this.

Sick leave usage
 

I doubt the statement about using twice as much, they are maneuvering for negotiations. If however we do use more than UAL, SWA, AS and AA:

Maybe we should work the flow of aircraft into rotations and avoid what has been in my experience a ridiculous amount of airplane swapping. All it takes is one guy with a head cold or the flu and how many people will touch that plane in a given day? Two to three days later how many planes will those infected pilots touch?

We have a large proportion of our pilots based in a severe allergy zone, it's tough to tell the difference.

There is zero emphasis on keeping cockpits clean and the Sanicoms are of little use in keeping the workspace clean.

We have an older pilot group.

Our lavs are never disinfected.

C2012 and FAR 117 = longer duty days to get credit time down and what I have perceived as shorter overnights. Perhaps sitting all day and going to the hotel room and repeating x3 to x4 doesn't lend to a strong immune system. Weight issues?

We probably have the highest percentage of commuters in the industry. Not everyone can tolerate or wishes to raise kids in ATL, DTW (consistently voted the worst city in the USA) or NYC (I won't even touch that one). Let's face it, aside from SEA, LAX, SLC and MSP we don't really have that many great options = commuters

Commuting = sitting in a Petri dish of viruses and bacteria.

ENDEAVOR MEC APPROVES MODIFICATIONS TO PILOT RETENTION LOA
The Endeavor Air MEC voted today to approve a letter of agreement to modify the structure of their recently announced pilot-retention payments. Highlights include: shortened retention periods (three four-month retention periods each year instead of annual or semiannual periods) with the first payment occurring after the retention period ending April 30, 2015; increased total annual retention payments of $20,000 for each pilot (up from $15,000), divided into three even installments; and increased program duration of four years (up from two years).

"Providing more money, sooner, and for a longer period of time, these improvements will make staying at Endeavor a more attractive and viable option for current pilots," said Capt. Jonathan Allen, Endeavor Air MEC chairman. "With this LOA, the majority of Endeavor pilots are now the highest-paid regional jet pilots in the country.
"Additionally, these retention payments offer potential new hires a level of total annual compensation no other regional carrier can match in this competitive job market. Most importantly, the fact that the payments include all pilots and future pilots on the same terms is another significant step toward building a bright future for the airline." The modifications provide a second-year first officer with total annual compensation of approximately $55,000 and extend the retention program to a point at which all current pilots are projected to have upgraded and interviewed with Delta.

Let the fighting over pilots begin.

You can bid the first days of the next month as X days, but you have to use one of your three groups.:D

Delta has some of the more generous sick leave provisions which are provided for when you are sick. It is not, nor was it ever intended to be, "free vacation."

If we (the pilots and Delta) figure it is like "vacation" it will be costed out as such.

It sounds like management is already costing it out as such.